A systematic review of virtual reality in palliative care across the lifespan: Evidence from training to clinical use in life-limiting conditions.

Virtual reality has demonstrated its usability, acceptability, and clinical benefits. Its application in palliative care has grown steadily to address both physical and psychological symptoms. This study aims to systematically review the scientific literature on the use of virtual reality in palliative care across the lifespan. A comprehensive search was conducted in five databases from inception to June 2025 using keywords such as « Virtual Reality », « Palliative Care », and « End-of-Life». Abstracts and titles were independently screened using COVIDENCE software, followed by an independent full-text review. In the final phase, four independent reviewers performed data extraction, assessed the level of immersion, evaluated study quality, and reported adverse effects. Of the 1,395 records, 54 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, study quality was judged to be good, and most of them involved high levels of immersion. The majority of studies included mixed samples of adults and older adults, while relatively few focused exclusively on children or older adults. Adverse reactions were reported in 9% of the studies. Virtual reality was used for clinical purposes in end-of-life care, other life-limiting conditions, cancer care, palliative care education and training, support for family caregivers, and facilitation of end-of-life decision making. In conclusion, virtual reality appears to be a safe, feasible, and nonpharmacological intervention for managing physical and psychological symptoms in individuals receiving palliative care across the lifespan. In addition, virtual reality shows promise as a supportive tool for family caregivers and as an effective educational strategy in palliative care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).